Crosstrack

Crosstrack

Game box
Players	2-4
Setup time	30 seconds
Playing time	10-30 minutes
Chance	None
Age range	8+
Skills	Tactics, Strategy

Crosstrack,billed as the "unique track switching game", is anabstract strategy gamedesigned by Philip Shoptaugh and first published in 1994. Players place special track pieces onto an irregular octagon board, winning by being the first to create an unbroken path between two opposite sides. It is an example of a tile-based edge-matching pathconnection game,similar to theBlack Path Game,Trax,andTsuro(which use four-sided square tiles),TantrixandKaliko(hexagonal tiles), andOctiles(octagonal tiles).

Equipment

Crosstrackboard (standard 52-cell)

A patent granted to Philip L. Shoptaugh and describes a board game played with octagonal and square interstitial tiles bearing angular paths.

The game, as first published in 1994 by Discovery Toys, is played on an octagonal board with 52 octagonal cells and 45 square interstitial spaces, arranged in a 4×3 configuration, with four paths leading inward along each of the 4-cell sides. There are 32 octagonalpathwaypieces and 16 squareintersectionpieces with raised tracks; the 32 octagonalpathwaypieces are divided evenly into 4 color sets, each with 8pathwaypieces, and the 16 squareintersectionpieces are a single color (black). Each of the eight octagonalpathwaypieces in a color set have unique patterns, and each of the four color sets have the same set of eight patterns. Four of the octagonalpathwaypieces in each set have two paths linking three or four sides, and the other four have three paths linking five or six sides. The squareintersectionpieces are divided evenly into four each of straight, crossed, tee, and elbow paths.

Crosstrackgame pieces

Sides	Paths	Sides linked
		2	3	4	5	6
8pathway	2
	3
4intersection	1
	2

Crosstrack Challengeuses a smaller 4×2 octagonal board with 32 octagonal cells and prepopulated interstitial squares.

A travel variant namedCrosstrack Challengewas released in 1996 with a smaller 4×2 octagonal board and 32 octagonal cells. Unlike the regular variant,Challengehas the 25 interstitial square cells prepopulated with connectors and there are nointersectionpieces. There are 24 octagonalpathwaypieces supplied, in 4 sets of 6. Like the larger (1994)Crosstrack,within each color set there are six unique patterns; each color set has the same six unique patterns, that is, there are fourpathwaypieces with a given path/track pattern, one in each set color. Three of the eight octagonalpathwaypieces fromCrosstrack(1994) have been removed, leaving five of the six pieces the same as the larger game; onepathwaypiece with two straight, crossed paths has been added:

Crosstrack Challengegame pieces

Sides	Paths	Sides linked
		3	4	5	6
8pathway	2
	3

In 1999, the license for Crosstrack reverted to Philip Shoptaugh, who re-released the two versions, renamingCrosstrack ChallengetoCrosstrack(standard size)and the larger 1994 version toCrosstrack(tournament size) orLarge Crosstrack.Colors of pieces and boards vary depending on the publisher; the large board is approximately 14 in (360 mm) between opposite sides, while the small board is approximately 9 in (230 mm).

Crosstrack versions

Year	Publisher	Name	Board cells	Colors
				Board	Pathwaypieces	Track	Intersectionpieces
1994	Discovery Toys	Crosstrack	52+45	Red	Orange, Green, Blue, Violet	Yellow	Black
1996	Discovery Toys	Crosstrack Challenge	32	Aqua	Magenta, Yellow, Green, Blue	White	N/A
1999	Shoptaugh	Crosstrack(tournament)	52+45	Green	Red, Orange, Yellow, Purple	White	Green
1999	Shoptaugh	Crosstrack(standard)	32	Aqua	Magenta, Yellow, Green, Purple	White	N/A

Rules

Setup

Players choose one color and take all the octagonalpathwaypieces in that color as their "stock"; depending on the number of players, players may be required to choose more than one color. In the original (1994) and "tournament" (1999) versions, the squareintersectionpieces are left in a common pile.

Play starts with the youngest player and proceeds to the left. During the opening round of moves, each player must place onepathwaypiece on any open cell in the board;intersectionpiece placement is not allowed until each player has played onepathwaypiece.

All games

Example game:

• The player who placed the piece at [G5] can win by rotating that piece by 90° to form a continuous path from [A4] to [H5], connecting the left and right sides of the board.
• Alternatively, a different player could win the game by placing an appropriate piece at [E6] to connect the path from [D1] to [E8], connecting top and bottom.

Note that both potential paths [A4—H5] and [D1—E8] consist ofpathwaypieces of multiple colors. The winner is the player who places, rotates, or moves a piece to complete a cross-board path.

Play begins with an empty board and the octagonalpathwaypieces are distributed amongst the players as their playing stock. To win, a player must connect any two opposite sides of the board in an unbroken path, regardless of the colors of thepathwaypieces used for that path.

Each player's turn consists of one of three basic moves:

1. Place an octagonalpathwaypiece from their own stock onto any unoccupied spot on the board.
2. Rotate apathwaypiece already on the board to any chosen orientation, if they placed it there.
3. Move one of theirpathwaypieces already present on the board to any unoccupied space in any orientation.
4. For the original (1994) and "tournament" (1999) game, any player may place a squareintersectionpiece during their turn, following the opening round of moves.

Once played, apathwaypiece remains on the board; it may be moved or rotated by the player who placed it (or, in the team variant, by the player's teammate). During their turn, a player also is not allowed to rotate or move any piece played by an opponent. In addition, a placed piece cannot be removed or replaced with another one from the player's stock. The rotate and move are mutually exclusive: if a piece is rotated, it cannot also be moved to a different spot on the board. Likewise, if the piece is moved, it cannot also be rotated into a different orientation when placed.

In addition, once placed,intersectionpieces cannot be moved or rotated.In the 1996Challengeand subsequent 1999 "standard" versions, theintersectionpieces are permanently attached to the board and this rule does not apply.

Two-player game

In a two player game, each player chooses two colors to form their stock, that is, each player receives half of the octagonalpathwaypieces.

Three-player game

In a three player game, each player chooses one color to form their stock, and the last color is set aside as a common stock. Any player may play from the common stock on their turn, and rotate or move common pieces on the board. However, after a common piece is acted upon in one of these three manners, it cannot be moved or relocated during the next two turns. In other words, if player A rotates a common piece on the board, neither player B nor C will be able to move or rotate it on their immediately subsequent turns. However, once play returns to A, any player is free to rotate or relocate the piece again–unless, of course, A chooses to move or rotate the piece again.

Four-player game

The 1994 version of the game allowed up to four individual players, with each player choosing one color.

Four-player team game

Players choose one color each as well as a partner, and play as two opposing teams. Partners sit opposite each other, with play passing between teams every turn. Players are allowed to rotate or relocate a team member's piece if it is already on the board, but do not have the ability to place pieces from their partner's stock. In addition, teammates may discuss their moves prior to placing a piece; however, to increase the difficulty, it is suggested that discussion of potential moves may be banned.

Strategy

Control of the "ports" at the edges of the board is important, as control or successful manipulation of these is necessary in order to establish a path across the board. Players should also be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the different pieces.

External links

• Official page at Shoptaugh website
• An example of a game that has just been won
• CrosstrackatBoardGameGeek